Caladium plant named ‘Victoria’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Caladium  plant named ‘Victoria’, characterized by its compact, symmetrical, upright, outwardly arching and rounded plant habit; dense and bushy growth habit; undulate strap-like leaves that are rugose giving a highly textured appearance; and red, pink and green-colored leaves.

Botanical designation: Caladium×hortulanum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Victoria’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium×hortulanum, commercially referred to as a strap-leaf Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Victoria’.

The new Caladium is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Caladium×hortulanum cultivar Florida Sweetheart, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,526. The new Caladium was discovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Lake Placid, Fla. on Jun. 15, 2002 from within a population of plants of the cultivar Florida Sweetheart. The new Caladium was selected on the basis of its unique leaf texture and coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tuber divisions in a controlled environment in Lake Placid, Fla. since Apr. 15, 2003 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Victoria has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Victoria’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Victoria’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium:

-   -   1. Compact, symmetrical, upright, outwardly arching and rounded         plant habit.     -   2. Dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Undulate strap-like leaves that are rugose giving a highly         textured appearance.     -   4. Red, pink and green-colored leaves.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lake Placid, Fla., plants of the new Caladium differed from plants of the parent, the cultivar Florida Sweetheart, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium were more compact than and not as         vigorous as plants of the cultivar Florida Sweetheart.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium were more undulate than         leaves of plants of the cultivar Florida Sweetheart.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium were more rugose and         more textured in appearance than leaves of plants of the         cultivar Florida Sweetheart.     -   4. Under high light conditions, plants of the new Caladium had         darker red-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Florida         Sweetheart.     -   5. Plants of the new Caladium had shorter leaf petioles than         plants of the cultivar Florida Sweetheart.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of the Caladium cultivar Florida Red Ruffles, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,136. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lake Placid, Fla., plants of the new Caladium differed from plants of the cultivar Florida Red Ruffles in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium were larger than plants of the         cultivar Florida Red Ruffles.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium were more undulate than         leaves of plants of the cultivar Florida Red Ruffles.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium were more rugose and         more textured in appearance than leaves of plants of the         cultivar Florida Red Ruffles.     -   4. Plants of the new Caladium and of the cultivar Florida Red         Ruffles differed in leaf coloration.     -   5. Plants of the new Caladium had lighter-colored leaf petioles         than plants of the cultivar Florida Red Ruffles.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of the Caladium cultivar Lance Whorton, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lake Placid, Fla., plants of the new Caladium differed from plants of the cultivar Lance Whorton in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Lance Whorton.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium were more undulate than         leaves of plants of the cultivar Lance Whorton.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium were more rugose and         more textured in appearance than leaves of plants of the         cultivar Lance Whorton.     -   4. Plants of the new Caladium and of the cultivar Lance Whorton         differed in leaf coloration.     -   5. Plants of the new Caladium had lighter-colored leaf petioles         than plants of the cultivar Lance Whorton.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Caladium. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Caladium.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Victoria’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical plants of ‘Florida Sweetheart’ (left) and ‘Victoria’ (right) grown in containers.

The photographs on the third sheet comprise top perspective views of typical plants of ‘Florida Sweetheart’ (bottom) and ‘Victoria’ (top) grown in ground beds in an outdoor nursery.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in Lake Placid, Fla. during the spring in a polyethylene-covered shadehouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Caladium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 21° C. to 38° C., night temperatures ranged from about 10° C. to 21° C. and light levels about 8,000 foot-candles. Plants were about seven weeks from planting tubers when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Caladium×hortulanum cultivar Victoria. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the     Caladium×hortulanum cultivar Florida Sweetheart, disclosed in U.S.     Plant Pat. No. 8,526. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tuber divisions.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to ten days at             32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             24° C.         -   Tuber description.—Number of buds per tuber: About eight             actively growing buds/shoots and about ten dormant buds.             Height: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 4 cm. Texture: Thick,             starchy; somewhat brittle. Color: Epidermis, 200A; interior,             11B to 11C. Root description/habit: Dense, thick and white             fleshy roots with finer lateral roots. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant/growth habit.—Compact, upright, outwardly arching and             rounded plant habit. Densely-foliated; vigorous, dense and             bushy growth habit; suitable for 10-cm to 25-cm containers.             Mostly upright leaf petioles.         -   Plant height.—About 19 cm from soil level to top of leaf             plane.         -   Plant spread.—About 42 cm.         -   Cataphylls.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape:             Linear to elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Sheathing the             stem. Color, outer surface: N170D; stripes and streaks,             N186B to N186C. Color, inner surface: N170D to 155A; faint             streaks, N186C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Length.—About 14 cm.         -   Width.—About 9 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate to acute.         -   Base.—Sagittate to cordate.         -   Margin.—Entire; distinctly undulate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; rugose giving a             highly textured appearance.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous; glaucous; rugose             giving a highly texture appearance.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Margins: 147A.             Center: Intervenal areas, 195B to 195C tinged with 137A,             often flushed overall with 185C to 185D. Areas of 185C             follow the veins. Venation: 187B to 187C; peripheral             marginal veins, 147A tinged with 187C; at the petiole             attachment, 187B to 59A; midrib, 187B. Notch: 59A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Margins: 137A to 147A.             Center: Intervenal areas, 195B tinged with 147B to 147C             tinged with 191A. Areas of 185C to 185D follow the veins.             Venation: 147A to 147B; at the petiole attachment, 184B to             184C; midrib, 185B to 185C. Notch: 184B to 184C tinged with             191A. Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Margins: Darker             and more green than 147A. Center: Intervenal areas, 195B             tinged with 137A, often flushed overall with 185C to 184C.             Areas of 184B to 184C follow the veins. Venation: 187B to             187C; peripheral marginal veins, 147A tinged with 187B to             187C; at the petiole attachment, 59A to 187B; midrib, 187B.             Notch: 59A. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Margins:             191A. Center: Intervenal areas, 195B tinged with 147B. Areas             of 185B to 185C follow the veins. Venation: 147A to 147B;             the petiole attachment, 184B to 184C; midrib, 147A to 147B             tinged with 185C. Notch: 184B to 184C.         -   Petiole.—Aspect: Mostly erect, outwardly arching with             development. Length: About 13 cm. Diameter, distal: About             3 mm. Diameter, proximal: About 5 mm. Strength: Strong;             flexible. Color: N170D; stripes and streaks, N186B to N186C.             Wing length: About 3 cm. Wing depth: About 6 mm. Wing color,             outer surface: N170D; stripes and streaks, N186B to N186C.             Wing color, inner surface: N170D to 155D; faint streaks,             N186C. -   Flower description: Flower development has not been observed on     plants of the new Caladium. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Caladium have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Caladium. -   Temperature/weather tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to     about 40° C. Plants of the new Caladium have been observed to be     tolerant to rain and wind. Plants of the new Caladium will tolerate     full sun conditions in Florida without leaf scorching. 

1. A new and distinct Caladium plant named ‘Victoria’ as illustrated and described. 